“Nothing,” he says with a low chuckle, letting go of my arm. “It has been a pleasure escorting you. You’ll find Gil’s family in the pavilion up ahead.”
“You’re not coming?” I ask. “From what Gil’s said, you’re like … a second brother.” And honestly, walking up there by myself feels awkward. I don’t see Angel anywhere, and it’s not like they’re expecting me.
“No,” he says with a sad shake of his head. I try to follow his gaze and see a group of older-looking Gillarians watching us, their eyebrows furrowed. “Not everyone thinks traveling between realms for romance is the smartest way to make a match—more importantly, my cat awaits.”
I gulp. “You’re really going to leave after telling me that?”
“Ah, yes, how very inconsiderate of me.” The vampire pauses, retrieving a phone from his pocket and showing me an adorable calico dramatically posed for a photo on his lockscreen. And while I’d never object to seeing pictures of a fluffy animal, that isn’t the part of his statement I’d been fixating on.
“Alright, well,” I trail off, trying not to let my nerves settle in. “Hopefully, we can all hang out soon,” I say, touching my flowers. “And thank you for the cat pictures and for not letting me dance to my death.”
“It was my pleasure, Marina,” Magnus says with a small bow. He disappears into the crowd, faeries whispering and giggling as they part to make way for him.
Why does this guy need to go to the mortal realm to find a date again? It seems like plenty of people would be interested. I touch the flowers on my head, glad we ran into each other.
“Was that scamp of a vampire bothering you?” a voice asks, and I turn to find a woman.
She’s tall with iridescent scales across her body. Her head is covered in flowers of every color—beautiful, albeit haphazard, like it was made by a child—or many children, given the flood of guppies underfoot. They giggle with bright smiles and scales before widening their eyes at me and running off.
“Oh no, he… I was told my boyfriend’s family was in the pavilion up here.” I gulp, pointing. “Honestly, I’m a little nervous. I haven’t met anyone except the vampire scamp… er, Magnus. Angel, too. Am I in the right place?”
“That boyfriend wouldn’t happen to be Gil, would it?” the woman asks, a knowing look in her teal eyes. I nod, a moment of uncertainty hanging between us before she throws her arms around my neck.
Oh.
She’s hugging me.
“Well, let me get a look at you, darlin’!’’ Her voice is musical with a thick Southern accent. “Beautiful, oh lovely.” She holds me by the shoulders after our hug, giving me a once-over. “The name’s Rainbow.”
Rainbow.I nod, nerves in my chest. I’m not exactly sure who she is, but she seems to know Gil, so I must be in the right place. “Oh! Um, wow, it’s so nice to meet you, Ms. Rainbow.”
A smile tugs at my lips; the name is certainly on theme. Her scales glint, reflecting every single color in the sunlight. Rainbow’s scales appear almost holographic. I wish my “scales” could shine like that.
“We are all so glad to have you. Angel will be relieved you found your way to us. I can’t believe she lost sight of you. She’s still out lookin’,” Rainbow continues, shaking her head. “Come on, let’s find you something to eat, hm? Has anyone shown you the statues? We snag this spot every year because of the view.”
Parting a curtain of Spanish moss, she reveals a view of the bubbling spring. Music can be heard on the water, but it’s the statues that catch my attention.
All the sculpted figures appear to be Gillarians. Their faces are serene, one standing in the cove among the reeds, another beneath the water, with an outstretched hand just above the surface. The water is so clear I can see the outline of the restof the statue when the water is still. They are carved from what looks like marble, their webbed hands filled with flower “offerings” and heads adorned with countless crowns.
“There are four in total, one for each season, you see,” Rainbow explains. “Folks weave their crowns with intention and drop them on the head of the sister they resonate with the most that year. Spring for new life, winter for change—it’s all personal and up for interpretation.”
“And the music?” I ask, trying to piece the background of the festival together.
“It’s all about harmony, isn’t it?” she says with a grin. “And what’s a party without some music? Though it’s grown much more since I was a guppy, but it’s a long-standing tradition.”
A few children—faeries and guppies—swim together, laughing and playing—if I didn’t know any better, some even look like humans. They splash toward the statues, putting messy flower crowns on top of their heads. Despite the slight chaos, there’s a calm sort of revelry which pulls at something deep within me.
The only time I’ve ever seen something like this is at a church, but it’s different. Less stuffy and more… well, rooted in nature and joy. And maybe that exists somewhere in my world, but I haven’t personally felt it.
Here though, with sounds dancing through the air, and the beautiful pink flowers blooming across the marsh, there aren’t words to describe it.
The landscape has made a natural pavilion. Gil’s family sit at a combination of tables and chairs on land and large lily pads laid out like picnic blankets on the water.
“It’s beautiful,” I say, wishing I had more words. From the corner of my eye, I notice the group of elders that Magnus had been worried about—their eyes are keen and set on me. I don’t know enough about the micro expressions of Gillarians to be able to have a read on their thoughts. The whispering suggestsit’s not great. They seem important; if a king is worried about angering them, what hope do I have?
“Now, let’s finally fill up a plate for you,” Rainbow says with a hum, linking her arm in mine. She stands tall, giving the onlookers a warning glare that would make me stop dead in my tracks.
She guides me to a large buffet table. I’m struck by how strange it is that Gil isn’t here, and I’m just going to make a plate at a family party. If Rainbow senses my hesitation, she doesn’t comment on it, only leads me through the crowd, smiling all the while.
